Timberwolves – Page 94 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Zimmer ‘Glad’ Teddy Playing as Rookie

Posted on December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 by David Shama

Mike Zimmer is now comfortable with the decision to make Teddy Bridgewater his starting quarterback. The Vikings coach has seen rookie quarterbacks “get the heck beat out of them” and the resulting damage to their careers.

When Zimmer lost veteran Matt Cassel to a season ending injury in September, he was concerned about exposing Bridgewater, his first year QB, to the learning curve and pressures of the NFL. “I know this guy’s got a chance to be the guy for a long, long time here, and what I was nervous about at the beginning of the year is I didn’t want to get him beat up,” Zimmer said. “I didn’t want to get him a bunch of bad outings where he didn’t have that confidence and that attitude (to be successful). …”

The Vikings have tried to create an environment where Bridgewater, despite his inexperience, can avoid trauma and progress positively. “I think in the long run his playing and going through all of these experiences, and getting a chance to play against Green Bay and Chicago and Detroit, will be a big factor for us in the future because he’s been through these things now,” Zimmer said. “It’s not new.”

Zimmer has seen Bridgewater learn from being on the field and is “glad” the 2014 first round draft choice is playing so soon. Bridgewater has quarterbacked the team to five wins and six losses. Yesterday he had interceptions on consecutive possessions in the first half and that changed the momentum of a Vikings lead but overall he made plays with his arm and legs. He completed 31 of 41 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. He ran three times for 30 yards. Two of his last three games his passing rating has impressively been over 115.

Bridgewater has helped lead the Vikings, 6-8 overall, to comeback wins in previous weeks but couldn’t yesterday. The game ended with a 16-14 loss to the Lions when Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed what would have been an NFL record field goal of 68 yards. Walsh said this afternoon he “lobbied” for the opportunity to try the kick.

Although it’s not reasonable to expect a record game winner, the last two weeks—by Walsh’s admission—have been “tough.” He missed a potential 56 yard game winner in regulation a week ago Sunday against the Jets before the Vikings scored a touchdown to win in overtime. He was one for three on field goals in that game and yesterday didn’t connect in three tries including a 26-yard attempt that was blocked.

“I don’t feel like I am hitting the ball poorly but the results say otherwise right now,” he said. “So it’s something I gotta get shored up and fixed.”

Trailing 16-14, the Vikings didn’t make enough productive offensive plays on their final drive—and really all game—to defeat the Lions, now 10-4 and tied with the Packers for first place in NFC North. But Zimmer did praise his rebuilt offensive line that is without three starters. “I thought they battled their rear ends off,” Zimmer said. “I think they competed. I thought they fought like crazy to give us the opportunity to get the ball in the right place.”

One replacement is Mike Harris who has taken over at right tackle for Phil Loadholt. Harris said the coaches gave his work yesterday the best evaluation he’s received this season. He thought his run blocking and physical play was evident against the Lions.

“My pass blocking was okay,” Harris said. “It‘s something I continue to work on with timing, with my punch.”

Worth Noting

When the Vikings prepare this week for the Dolphins, Minnesota defensive coordinator George Edwards will have knowledge of Miami’s personnel since he was that team’s linebackers coach last season.

Rookies Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon have received more attention but the Vikings have other first-year players they like, too, including seventh round pick Shamar Stephen. A defensive tackle at 6-5, 310, Stephen was in on 10 tackles in the game against Carolina last month and he has become a starter replacing the injured Shariff Floyd.

Jerry Kill gave an answer that couldn’t resonate better with Gophers football fans when asked by L. Jon Wertheim in the December 1 issue of Sports Illustrated about the program’s long-term goal. “Our long-term goal is to continue to get better. Our mission is to win the Big Ten championship. It’s not easy to do, but that’s what our mission is.

“The next stage is, we haven’t been to the Rose Bowl—I get reminded every day—since (1962). So everybody wants to get that accomplished. The ultimate thing is to win it all. But we’ve got to take steps. We have to improve our operating facilities because in recruiting that’s what kids look at. …”

The Big Ten Conference has 10 teams in bowl games, a total that ties the league’s previous high set in 2011. A difference, though, is three years ago the conference had 12 teams and now has 14.

After bowl matchups were announced, odds-makers had all of the Big Ten teams as underdogs in the 10 games. Dating back to 2000, the conference is 38-62 in bowl games.

Bobby Bell ranks among the greatest Gophers football players ever. He was a two-time All-American tackle and 1962 Outland Trophy award winner. Yesterday he posted the following news on Facebook: “I went back the past seven months to the University of Minnesota after 52 years in order to complete my college degree. It feels so good to be a college graduate. …”

Dave Stead, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, said he doesn’t have a final figure but he expects ticket sales revenue from the 2014 Prep Bowl to be down about 50 percent. Attendance and ticket revenues will significantly increase when the Prep Bowl leaves outdoor TCF Bank Stadium for the enclosed Vikings stadium in 2016. Stead said although the Prep Bowl normally is a profitable event, he’s not sure if it will be in 2014.

Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins is on the cover of Mpls.St. Paul Magazine’s best of the year issue. The article on Wiggins, who last June was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, discusses the 19-year-old’s life as a professional and living in a new community.

While Wiggins has been a regular starter, rookie guard Zach LaVine, also 19, has started just 11 games. But that is 10 more than at UCLA last season, and before the Timberwolves made him a first round choice.

A local pro hockey source said Thomas Vanek’s slow start scoring goals for the Wild can be explained by off-ice distractions including his transition back to Minnesota where he knows so many people. He predicted Vanek could be productive, though, by playoff time when things have settled down and the 30-year-old forward knows his teammates better. Vanek has only three goals in 28 games but does have 14 assists and is fourth on the team with 17 points.

The same source said the Wild have been looking for goalie help and doesn’t believe the team is committed to starter Darcy Kuemper. The franchise decision makers, though, are “solid” in their commitment to fourth season coach Mike Yeo and the players like him.

It wouldn’t be surprising if former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who has been offered a role with Minnesota, ends up working for the Rangers, Astros or Mets. Gardenhire grew up in Oklahoma and the two Texas teams, the Rangers and Astros, provide proximity to home while the Mets were the team Gardenhire played for in the major leagues.

Former Gustavus Adolphus golf coach Whitey Skoog was recently inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Skoog, who retired in January of 1995 after 22 seasons, coached the Gusties to 17 MIAC titles and 12 NCAA Division III tournaments including second place finishes in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The former Gophers All-American basketball player also coached basketball at Gustavus after his NBA career with the Minneapolis Lakers.

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Teddy B. Aware of Holding Ball too Long

Posted on November 12, 2014November 12, 2014 by David Shama

Unloading a lot of quotes and notes from various sources:

Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater makes his sixth pro start on Sunday in Chicago against the Bears. He wants to improve in not holding the ball too long before passing.

“I have a tendency of wanting to see wide receivers open before I throw the football,” he said. “Sometimes I have to just feel it and trust that a guy is going to be in the right area at the right time.”

According to Monday’s USA Today, the collective record of four NFL starting rookie quarterbacks through last Sunday’s games was 4-19. Bridgewater, 3-2, is the only QB among Blake Bortles, Derek Carr and Zach Mettenberger with a winning record.

All three of Bridgewater’s wins have been in come-from-behind situations. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer praised his quarterback’s makeup. “Composure is big. We’d like for him to be ahead a little bit more but I just think that the game is not too big for him. He sits in there and understands what he has to get done and you know there is a heightened sense of urgency–and not just with Teddy but with everybody.”

The Bears, 3-6, have only played one home game since September 28. They are 0-3 at home this season.

Jerry Trestman and his wife Sharon, who live in the Minneapolis area, don’t plan to attend Sunday’s Bears-Vikings game. Since their son Marc Trestman became Bears coach the couple has seen two games in Chicago, the season openers in 2013 and 2014.

Jerry told Sports Headliners he usually talks to Marc “two or times per week” by telephone. “He usually calls at night after practice,” Jerry said.

Ohio State is ranked No. 8 in the AP poll and the Gophers haven’t faced a top 10 team since they played the Buckeyes in Minneapolis four years ago. The Buckeyes, 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten, scored 49 points on Michigan State’s proud defense last Saturday and in five of their last six games are averaging 52.4 points per game.

Could the Gophers be in awe, or intimidated when the two teams play at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday? Senior defensive tackle and team leader Cameron Botticelli said no.

He told Sports Headliners players and staff put extraordinary effort and time year-round into preparing for games like Saturday’s. “We invest a whole lot of work, so to make that investment and then come into TCF Bank Stadium and be intimidated or in awe of someone, I don’t think that’s within the realm of possibility.

“Definitely we’ll respect our opponent this week because they are a talented football team, but I wouldn’t say shock or awe. More like respect and (facing) another competitor.”

The Buckeyes, who are about a two touchdown favorite against Minnesota, have won a national-best 12 consecutive road games and are undefeated in their last 21 Big Ten regular season games. They also have won seven straight since losing to Virginia Tech at home in a nonconference game on September 6. That was before freshman J.T. Barrett established himself at quarterback and since then the Buckeyes have gone on to become arguably the hottest offensive team in the country.

Gophers junior wide receiver KJ Maye talking about playing the favored Buckeyes and being an underdog: “We play better when we’re like that.”

Ohio State totaled 568 yards against Michigan Sate, nearly 300 more than the Spartans had been giving up per game. Gophers coach Jerry Kill realizes how good Michigan State’s defense is. “I didn’t think they would be able to put that many points on the board (against MSU),” Kill said.

The Gophers gained momentum going into the Ohio State game with a surprising 51-14 win over Iowa last Saturday. A close score was anticipated, but after the one-sided win Kill danced in front of his players in the happy locker room. “Sometimes kids need to see that you’re human,” Kill said. “It’ll probably be the last time—because I figured out I’m stiff, old, and…I’m not a kid anymore.”

Tickets remain, starting at $50, for Saturday’s Ohio State game that will be televised on ABC. The game is the last of the season at home for the Gophers and will be among the most lucrative in gate receipts (prices can vary by game). In the Big Ten Conference the home team retains revenues from ticket sales.

Gophers defensive tackle Steven Richardson is among the Big Ten’s best true freshman linemen. He’s listed at 6-feet and 295 pounds. Some schools stayed away from recruiting Richardson because his height is less than they demand but the young lineman has already shown what he can do as a run stopper and is coming along as a pass rusher. He had a sack against Iowa.

“If you look at the way the kid’s built, he’s a rock and he’s explosive,” said defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys. “I mean he can play anywhere (team) in the country.”

It will be 60 years ago tomorrow that Bob McNamara made his famous 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against border rival Iowa that deserves a place among the most determined efforts in program history. McNamara shook off Iowa tacklers, refusing to go down to the ground in the November 13 game that Minnesota won 22-20. Gophers coach Murray Warmath said in his biography, The Autumn Warrior, that McNamara’s run in Minneapolis was indeed the stuff of legends. “It was the finest example of brilliance and desire I have ever seen,” the coach praised. McNamara died last summer.

In last Saturday’s Tyler Dunne online story for the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, Brett Favre said if he had a son he probably wouldn’t let him play football “because of what I know.” The former Packers, Vikings and Jets quarterback is concerned about his memory in 10 or 20 years.

Favre turned 45 last month and is now eligible to draw his NFL pension.

You may not have read it before but neither the Gophers nor Louisville receive an appearance fee for participation in Friday night’s Armed Forces Classic in Puerto Rico. Expenses for the two schools are paid for by ESPN Regional Television, owner and operator of the basketball game that honors the military. The Classic will be played in front of military personnel with no admission cost and televised nationally by ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Si.com’s college basketball preview of conferences ranks the Gophers ninth in the Big Ten, predicting Minnesota will finish with a 9-9 record (same as Nebraska and Illinois). Projected to have better conference records are Wisconsin,15-3; Ohio State, 12-6; Iowa, 11-7; and 10-8 records for Michigan State, Michigan and Maryland.

Draftexpress.com projects Minnesota natives Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn will be selected No. 14 and 21 respectively in the first round of next year’s NBA Draft. Both are college freshmen, Jones at Duke and Vaughn at UNLV.

Voting opened Monday in the USA Today High School Sports contest to determine the best high school football program in the country. A total of 255 programs are eligible after being determined by a panel. Minnesota programs are Blooming Prairie, Eden Prairie, Hutchinson, Rosemount and Totino-Grace. More at Usatodayhss.com.

J.D. Spielman, son of Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, played every snap offensively and defensively in last Friday night’s Eden Prairie High School football playoff win over East Ridge. Spielman, a junior, has a lacrosse scholarship offer from Ohio State but his father said the understanding is his son can change that verbal commitment to play football at a major college if he chooses.

Camden Mona, Dave and Linda Mona’s grandson, celebrated his seventh birthday yesterday. The sixth annual Camden’s Concert at the Hopkins Center for the Arts will be held July 13 next year featuring The Wright Brothers who were popular at this summer’s event helping to generate over $52,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The record amount increased the five year total from the event to more than $200,000.

Dave Mona said the National Senior Games will bring about 13,000 participants and approximately 25,000 total visitors to Minneapolis-St. Paul for competition in various sports next summer—July 3-16. Mona, the WCCO Radio “Sports Huddle” co-host, is co-chair for the games with Susan Adams Lloyd, the Clear Channel Outdoor executive.

Kevin McHale and Flip Saunders coach against each other tonight when the Rockets and Timberwolves play in Mexico City. The two former Gophers were close friends for many years and it was McHale that hired Saunders to work first in the Wolves front office and later as head coach. However, a distance has lingered between the two since McHale, as Wolves general manager, fired Saunders as coach in 2005. “It’s not that they’re (still) upset at each other, they just don’t get together,” a mutual friend told Sports Headliners.

With Garth Brooks performing at Target Center over a period of two weeks, the Wolves are in the midst of a road trip that has them without a home game from November 2 until November 19. With a long road trip, young team, 2-4 record and point guard Ricky Rubio being sidelined with an ankle sprain until perhaps next year, the Wolves are on the spot to win at least a few games this month.

The NBA has long been a leader in diversity and this season is using two female referees, Lauren Holtkamp and Violet Palmer. Dee Kantner, who once worked NBA games, is now the WNBA supervisor of officials.

The Wild will host Military Appreciation Night–presented by Thomson Reuters and benefitting Defending the Blue Line–tomorrow night when Minnesota plays the Sabres at Xcel Energy Center. More than 1,000 active or retired military members are expected to be in attendance. The Wild, along with Thomson Reuters, offered military members a lower level ticket, hot dog, chips and soda for $50.

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U Wants ‘First Punch’ Against Iowa

Posted on November 7, 2014November 7, 2014 by David Shama

Anyone who saw last year’s dominating win by Iowa over the Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium knows the Hawkeyes were more physical than Minnesota. The score, 23-7, showed domination and so did the statistics including 246 rushing yards for the Hawkeyes and just 30 for the Gophers.

“They out physicaled us,” said Gophers guard Zac Epping. “We know that and we know that’s what we gotta do this year. We gotta come out swinging, be the people that throw the first punch and get the ‘W’ that way.”

The Gophers have started slow in their last two games but perhaps the program’s intense rivalry with Iowa will cure that. Epping said the Gophers were “flat” against Illinois, a Big Ten bottom feeder that upset Minnesota in Champaign on October 25.

Iowa won the “Floyd of Rosedale” border rival trophy the last two years. “Yeah, it’s definitely one of the biggest games,” Epping said. “That’s one of the games where you look at the beginning of the year saying, ‘When do we play Iowa?’ ”

Epping grew up in Wisconsin but remembered a 2002 incident with the Hawkeyes that still rubs Gophers fans the wrong way. After Iowa’s win in the Metrodome, Hawkeye fans tore down a goal post and tried to carry pieces out of the building.

The memory stokes Epping’s emotions. “Yeah, it’s just something you think about and you just can’t let’em do it.”

Last year Wisconsin players tried to symbolically chop a goal post at TCF Bank Stadium with “Paul Bunyan’s Axe.” Gophers players this fall are wearing sweatshirts proclaiming “No one chops our goal posts down but us.”

The Gophers won the “Little Brown Jug” earlier this year with a victory over Michigan. Tomorrow presents an opportunity to win “Floyd”—the bronze pig—and later this month comes a chance to own the axe for the first time since 2003. Those are the Gophers’ most prized rivalry trophies and Minnesota hasn’t captured all three in one season since 1967.

When wide receiver KJ Maye was asked about winning back “Floyd,” he mentioned all three trophies. “It would mean a lot because we actually have a legit chance to win all the trophy games this year and that’s something we take pride in.”

Depending on your viewpoint the next four Saturdays are much anticipated—or dreaded—by Gophers fans. For many months anyone with knowledge about the team’s schedule has known the last four teams on the schedule present the most challenging stretch of games.

Except for TCU, no previous opponent on the schedule is comparable to the teams upcoming: Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. They are four of the Big Ten’s better teams and certainly superior to the six opponents the Gophers have defeated in building a 6-2 overall record—3-1 in Big Ten games.

A program insider said the Gophers’ “margin for error is razor thin” for the remaining games. Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin have superior overall talent, and the last three teams are nationally ranked. The discrepancy between Minnesota and those programs is most glaring in comparisons of the offenses.

Minnesota defeated three mediocre teams during the nonconference schedule and in the fourth nonleague game was dominated in a 30-7 loss to now top 10 ranked TCU. The Gophers were held to under 100 yards rushing, gained just 268 yards in total offense and were three of 16 on third down conversions.

At times the Gophers offense has been productive in Big Ten games but it has sputtered, too. That’s an appropriate word to use in referring to the unexpected 28-24 loss to lowly Illinois when the Gophers completed just 12 of 30 passes and couldn’t make enough big plays in the fourth quarter to win.

Inconsistency by the offensive line, wide receivers and quarterback Mitch Leidner have put more pressure on the Gophers defense and special teams to make big plays. The Gophers rank 10th among Big Ten teams in total offense averaging 356.5 yards per game. Minnesota is last in passing at 140.5 yards a game.

Offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover refers to the offense as a “work in progress” but said it is better than a year ago. “I don’t think we’re far enough along that we can completely, week in and week out, say…we’re going to be able to (go) against the better teams in the conference and dominate a game and score 40 points.”

Iowa this Saturday and Ohio State a week later will be the last home games of the season. That’s an edge for the Gophers who will particularly be inspired to play against Iowa, 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota also has an advantage having a bye on the schedule last Saturday. Extra preparation time for Jerry Kill and his staff is a plus, and so, too, is the additional rest for players recovering from injuries and weary legs.

Iowa is the most likely win remaining for the Gophers. The two programs mirror each other, led by conservative coaches who try to minimize mistakes and emphasize defense. The Gophers and Iowa have comparable defenses, and Minnesota’s unit might even be better. The Gophers may rate a minimal edge in special teams but the difference between the offenses looks dramatic.

Iowa’s offensive line deserves the nod over Minnesota’s. The Hawkeyes are led by tackle Brandon Scherff who is a coveted NFL draft choice. That line opened up a lot of running room last week in Iowa’s impressive 48-7 win over Northwestern, with Hawkeyes runners gaining 221 yards as part of a well balanced offense. Iowa’s passing ranks fifth in the Big Ten averaging 244.9 yards per game. “I think by far they’re the best line we’ve played all year,” said Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys.

Maybe the Gophers offense will have a breakout day against Iowa like the Hawkeyes experienced last Saturday versus Northwestern. That would sure help take some pressure off the “razor thin” mantra.

Worth Noting

Iowa received a verbal commitment on Sunday from a Texas high school player the Gophers had interest in, according to a story Monday by Steve Batterson for Qctimes.com. Wide receiver Jerminic Smith, from Garland High School in Garland Texas, has been rated No. 145 in the Texas 150, a ranking of the state’s top high school seniors.

The Gophers-Hawkeyes rivalry is on the minds of many Minnesotans, from University of Minnesota students to Gophers radio analyst Darrell Thompson. The student section at TCF Bank Stadium was chanting its well-known “We Hate Iowa” back in September. Thompson, the Gophers’ all-time leading rusher, eats bacon everyday this week preparing for the battle for the pig.

Speculation has been the Iowa-Minnesota game will sell out by now but apparently the Gophers’ surprise loss at Illinois, along with $75 tickets and a chilly weather forecast means not all of the 52,525 seats at TCF Bank Stadium are gone yet. Although Iowa has no professional sports to compete against, the Hawkeyes have only one home sellout this season in 70,585 seat capacity Kinnick Stadium.

Gophers senior offensive guard Zac Epping knows how to play through injury and pain. He has started 42 consecutive games. He also started every game as a sophomore, junior and senior at Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Steve Simon, who won this week’s election for Secretary of State, is the son of former Minneapolis sports agent Ron Simon whose clients included Kent Hrbek and Paul Molitor. Ron wrote a book more than 20 years ago that detailed his negotiating strategies and stories about his clients.

The biggest MIAC football game of the season is tomorrow when Bethel, 7-1 overall and in 6-0 league play, meets Saint John’s, 7-1 and 5-1, in Collegeville. A Bethel win will mean a second consecutive outright MIAC title. If the Johnnies win, the two teams will go into the last Saturday of the season on November 15 tied for the lead. Bethel has won 15 consecutive MIAC games.

Saint John’s ranks second in the MIAC with 248.5 yards per game rushing, while Bethel is fourth at 193.4. The Royals’ run defense is first in the league (107.6 yards per game allowed) and Saint John’s is third (138.8). The Johnnies have the best scoring defense (13.6 points allowed per game) and Bethel is third (17.1).

The Gophers basketball team won its exhibition opener last night at Williams Arena, 95-68 over UMD. The Gophers shot 58.5 percent from the field and their active defense limited the Bulldogs to 37.5 percent. Junior college transfer guard Carlos Morris impressed with a team high 23 points as did senior center Elliott Eliason who grabbed 16 rebounds in only 22 minutes. UMD had lost on Saturday night to Notre Dame by 17 points.

With the Timberwolves intent on limiting the minutes of starting center Nikola Pekovic to avoid injuries, second-year backup Gorgui Dieng becomes even more important to team success. Wolves assistant coach David Adelman coached Dieng as a rookie in summer league in 2013 and has seen him improve, even since the beginning of training camp this year.

“You can just see that the NBA game is slowing down for him, which is the most important thing,” Adelman told Sports Headliners. “You start seeing things where he’s actually making decisions instead of reacting.”

Dieng was impressive toward the end of last season when he averaged 12 points and 11.3 rebounds in the final 18 games. His attributes include shot blocking and he had five blocks in his first career start last season. Adelman raves about Dieng’s timing when blocking shots.

“It’s incredible. I would say there are probably 10 guys in the league that have that, especially where he is chasing a guard or a perimeter player. His first jump is so quick.”

Adelman said Dieng is “close” to being an upper echelon NBA defender already. With long arms, timing and athleticism, the 6-11 Dieng will some day be expected to become “captain” of the team’s defense with an understanding of his assignments and those of all four teammates, according to Adelman.

The Timberwolves made a trade during the 2013 draft to acquire Dieng in the first round. Has he exceeded expectations? “I don’t think so,” Adelman said. “That’s why we drafted him. We saw something special in him. I think his progression is right where we thought it would be.”

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